Has anyone been to one of these? After several emails with the contact person, I now know that there is, indeed, a report but no pictures. Well, I don't care about pictures but I do care about numbers. I'd hate to pay that kind of money for a piece of paper that says "wnl" although I know that beats the alternative.

I've had many echos done in hospital but never off-site like a clinic.

I had a paper for each dog with the specific values written down when I walked out the door from the Concord, NC clinic.
The clinic in Fitchburg , MA as part of the Natl's last year had a printed 4 page report (they brought a printer).

*I was entered in obedience at Concord and still had days to show, thus was a bit nervous about Cheers (age 6). However both she and Wally had normal echos this year. Whew! Guess I need to update dobequest...

At ours the owners get the OFA form with comments filled out including some numbers that are hand written. Also, they get the pics. If something shows up, then a follow up appointment is made (if the owner wishes) to go in to treatment options.

Mt Hood DPC testing is held in the cardiologist's clinic (on Sunday when the clinic is not open for regular business).

If your dog is tested at one of those clinics it is now also required that a Holter have been done within three months of the date of the echo.

So the cardiologist has the Holter results from Alba to refer to and so do you--the cardiologist will answer any questions about the results of the Holter and often if it's not dead normal will refer to it on the echo sheet.

At the clinic itself you leave with 1) an Echocardiogram Report which is a synopsis of findings from the echo itself plus the Holter. 2) a digital printout of the individual numbers on the echo and a couple of pictures (digital) of the heart in action.

The Report lists the basic findings on the Holter and echo as well as comments and recommendations.

I've had echo's done elsewhere and they pretty much give all the same sort of information sometimes without the digital print out.

I work at a vet clinic so they don't give me prescriptions based on the results (if necessary) but include the information on what they would prescribe (if necessary) so that the vets who see my dogs can write the prescriptions as recommended or call and talk to the cardiologist if necessary.

A friend of mine who has had Dobes for 35 years and who has been seeing the cardiologist who started the clinic since her first Dobe deeloped DCM says that the reports are the same for private patients as well as the clinic patients. All that has changed over the years is diagnostics have improved, meds are more sophisticated and the equipment itself gets more sensitive with each progressive model.